In the office. Technically, I've resigned, but at age 62 I'll receive a tiny retirement on top of my military retirement. I have real challenges with some of the TMF representation here, but their investment recommendations have been spot on . . . particularly Netflix . . . which have allowed us the opportunity to retire early.

What I did: The last three letters above in my name will give a clue. I'm a retired Navy ship driver who served on both coasts in various capacities ashore and afloat. My last duty assignment sent me to the Naval War College in Newport, RI at the command's request as a "war gamer." The games were all military focused with senior civilian leaders participating . . . until 9/11/2001.

In October of that year we received a request to assist FDNY looking at certain challenges they faced both from a threat stand point and organizationally. As you'll recall their ranks were devastated. Word passed to NYPD where they just hired Frank Libutti, retired LGEN who commanded Marine Forces Pacific, as a deputy police commissioner. We then conducted games for NYPD where Police Commissioner Ray Kelly participated. After that it was a capstone game for NYC's Office of Emergency Management. It's the city equivalent to FEMA. Michael Bloomberg participated. These civilian Homeland Security games opened a new venue . . . which I led.

Our extraordinary efforts led to additional Congressional funding to continue the civilian games. Los Angeles/Long Beach Port, Virginia, the New England states, Michigan, and others with frequent attendance by governors and local authorities both appointed and elected. We no longer conduct those games, but in my humble opinion we performed a great service . . . if they continued with what they learned.

I retired from uniformed service in 2003 and became an applied research professor performing the same operational responsibilities, but no longer concerned with military responsibilities and duties.

In 2004 I began leading a new international war game series involving maritime homeland security/defense with participation from DoD (Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense, NORTHCOM, PACOM, Fleet Forces Command, Pacific Fleet, Second Fleet, Third Fleet, Seventh Fleet), DoJ (FBI), DoT, DoS, and DHS (Coast Guard HQ, LANTAREA, PACAREA, CBP, ICE). Internationally, it involved Canada's Ministry of Defense (Canada Command now Canadian Joint Operations Command, MARPAC, MARLANT), Foreign Affairs, Public Safety, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. And a new and important participant, the Mexican Navy through something called the North American Maritime Security Initiative based on the trilateral agreement called the Security and Prosperity Partnership.

Issues in this game series were international command and control, interagency cooperation and coordination, the Maritime Strategy, Maritime Operational Threat Response Plan (implemented often, but highest profile is probably the SS Alabama incident), Canada's Maritime Emergency Response Plan, as well as other issues.

The one senior participant you all know who participated in this series is Thad Allen, but the current Coast Guard Commandant, the Deputy Commandant, Chief of Naval Operations, and Commander of Fleet Forces Command all participated in at least one of these games and frequently more.

In addition to this game series other responsibilities included teaching a Homeland Security/Defense elective course to senior (O-4 to O-6) officers of all branches of the US military as well as foreign officers. Our last two foreign students were from South Africa and Georgia. This homeland security expertise sent me as far afield as Baku, Azerbaijan and Montevideo, Uruguay.

The "deltas" in military war games are normally on the margins. We all speak the same language and come from the same culture. The civilian games provided huge deltas that were both professionally and personally very rewarding.

After 33+ years serving my country in various roles today marks the end. It was a wonderful run. An experience I'll trade with no one. Particularly the civilian homeland security games.

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